EXHIBIT 10.43

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                              --------------------


         THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT  ("Agreement") is made and entered into as of
July 3, 1997, by and between LaserSight Technologies, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and J. Richard Crowley, an individual residing, at
the time of entering into this Agreement, in the State of Florida (the
"Executive").

                                    RECITALS
                                    --------

Whereas,  Executive desires to be employed as the Chief Operating Officer of the
Company with a title to be conferred immediately upon assuming the duties of the
position; and

Whereas,  the Company  desires to retain the  Executive  as its Chief  Operating
Officer of the Company upon the terms and conditions herein set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals, the mutual covenants
of the parties hereinafter set forth and other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
agree as follows:

         1. Employment of the Executive.  Subject to the terms and conditions of
this Agreement, the Company hereby employs the Executive, and the Executive
hereby accepts such employment and agrees to perform the services specified
herein.

         2. Duties.  The Executive  shall report to the President of the Company
and have authority and responsibility, in accordance with policies of the
Company, for the operations of the various subsidiaries and departments of the
Company. During the term of his employment hereunder, the Executive shall:

            (a)  Perform  to  the  best  of  his  ability,   those  duties
         reasonably assigned to him from time to time by the Chief Executive
         Officer and the Board of Directors of the Company, provided, however,
         that such duties shall be reasonably related to the positions held by
         the Executive pursuant hereto;

            (b) Devote his full time and first priority  business  efforts
         to the Company's business, provided that nothing herein shall prohibit
         Executive from spending reasonable amounts of time for personal
         affairs, including, without limitation, serving as a director of
         companies, and managing his personal investments, provided Executive
         devotes an average minimum of forty (40) hours per week to performing
         his duties hereunder; and

            (c) Carry out  Company  policies  and  directives  in a manner
         which promotes and develops the Company's best interests.

         3. Salary.  The Company  shall pay  Executive  an initial  base salary
("Base Salary") at an annual rate of One Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
($125,000.00) which shall be payable in equal installments in accordance with
the Company's customary method of salary payments for senior executives of the

<PAGE>

Company (but not less than monthly). The Company may adjust the Base Salary from
time to time.

         4. Additional   Compensation.   Immediately  upon  execution  of  this
Agreement, or if later, the date the Executive becomes employed by the Company,
the Executive will be granted Incentive Stock Options (as defined in Section 422
of the Internal Revenue Code) for 80,000 shares of the Company's common stock at
an option price per share equal to the Fair Market Value per share, as defined
in the LaserSight Incorporated ("LSI") 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (the "1996
Equity Incentive Plan"), on the date of grant which shall be July 3, 1997. Such
Incentive Stock Options shall be granted to Executive pursuant to that certain
1996 Equity Incentive Plan. The options for said 80,000 shares shall vest as
follows: (a) 20,000 shares on July 3, 1997, (b) 20,000 shares on July 3, 1998,
(c) 20,000 shares on July 3, 1999, and (d) 20,000 shares on July 3, 2000. Should
Executive's employment end for any reason prior to the time all options are
vested, any and all non-vested options shall terminate and thereafter be
considered null and void.

         5. Fringe Benefits.  During the term of his employment  hereunder,  the
Executive shall be entitled to all fringe benefits and perquisites which that
Company from time to time makes available to other senior executives of the
Company, on such terms and levels as are at least commensurate with those
provided to such other senior executives, including, without limitation, health
insurance, vacation, sick days 401K pension contributions and any Local, State
and Federal contributions.

         6. Terms of Employment:  Severance.

            (a) The term of this Agreement  shall begin on the date hereof
         and shall continue for a period of two (2) years, unless terminated as
         provided in this Section 6.

            (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the Executive's employment
         hereunder may be terminated by the Company at any time for Cause (as
         defined in Section 9). Company also may terminate Executive's
         employment at any time with or without Cause or advance notice.

            (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the Executive's employment
         hereunder  shall  terminate in the event of his death or Disability (as
         defined in Section 9).

            (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the Executive's employment
         hereunder may be terminated by the Executive at any time for Good
         Reason (as defined in Section 9) upon prior written notice to the
         Company specifying therein the grounds for termination and the
         effective date of termination.

            (e)  In  addition  to  all  other  rights  of  Executive   and
         obligations of the Company described herein which arise or continue
         upon termination of Executive's employment, the following shall apply:
         Upon termination of the Executive's employment hereunder for any reason
<PAGE>

         whatsoever, the Company shall pay to the Executive all salary,
         benefits, bonuses and other Compensation (as defined in Section 10)
         (including reimbursements) earned through the effective date of
         termination.

            (f) If the Executive's  employment  hereunder is terminated by
         the Company without Cause, Company shall continue to pay Executive his
         Base Salary at its then-current level, for a period of six (6) months
         after termination. In addition, Executive shall be entitled to receive
         a lump sum payment in an amount equal to the total of Executive's Base
         Salary and any bonus compensation received during the immediately
         preceding twelve (12) month period if (i) Executive's employment is
         terminated for Good Reason pursuant to Section 9(e)(iv), or (ii)
         Executive's employment is involuntarily terminated within twelve months
         after a Change in Control (as defined herein) or a Change in Ownership
         (as defined herein). For purposes of this Agreement, Change in Control
         shall mean a change in the composition of the Board of Directors of LSI
         which results in a majority of the members thereof being persons who
         were not nominated for election as directors by the stockholders at the
         prior annual meeting of LSI or a change in the Chief Executive Officer
         of LSI and Change in Ownership shall mean that LSI ceases to own at
         least a majority of the Company's outstanding voting securities.

         7. Restriction Against Competition.

            (a) The  Executive  agrees  that while he is  employed  by the
         Company pursuant to this Agreement and during the twelve (12) month
         period following the effective date of termination of this Agreement
         for any reason, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, as a
         partner, officer, director, agent, consultant, employee, or otherwise:

                (i)    engage in any business  that  competes  with
                       the business of the Company (herein to mean
                       all Subsidiaries, divisions, and assigns of
                       the Company) as conducted by the Company as
                       of the effective date of the termination of
                       this Agreement in any state where the
                       Company is conducting business;

                (ii)   purposefully   interfere   or   attempt   to interfere
                       with any of the Company's contracts or business
                       relationships or advantages existing and in effect as of
                       the effective date of termination of this Agreement;

                (iii)  solicit for  employment,  either directly or
                       indirectly, for himself or for another, any of the
                       technical or professional employees employed by the
                       Company, except that with respect to the twelve (12)
                       month period following the effective date of termination
                       of this Agreement, such restriction shall apply only to
                       such employees employed by Company on the effective date
                       of termination of this Agreement or within six (6)
                       months prior thereto;
<PAGE>

                (iv)   purposefully interfere with the business relationship
                       of or solicit the business or orders of (a) a customer of
                       the Company, except that with respect to the twelve (12)
                       month period following the effective date of termination
                       of this Agreement, such restriction shall apply only to
                       such customers existing on the effective date of
                       termination of this Agreement, or within sixty (60)
                       days prior thereto, or (b) a prospective or potential
                       customer of the Company, except that with respect to the
                       two-year period following the effective date of
                       termination of this Agreement, such restriction shall
                       apply only to prospective or potential customers (i)
                       to whom the Company has submitted a formal quotation
                       within the past one year prior to the effective date of
                       termination of this Agreement, or (ii) that have been
                       previously listed or identified in writing by the Company
                       as a business prospect at any time during the twelve (12)
                       months preceding the effective date of termination of
                       this Agreement.

            (b) The parties agree that if the  Executive  commits a breach
of the covenants of this Section 7, the Company shall have the right to seek and
obtain all appropriate injunctive and other equitable remedies therefor, in
addition to any other rights and remedies that may be available at law, it being
acknowledged and agreed that such breach would cause irreparable injury to the
parties and that money damages would not provide an adequate remedy therefor.

         8. Protection  of  Confidential  Information  and Trade Secrets of the
Company.

            (a) Confidentiality. During the term of this Agreement and for
         a period of twelve (12) months after any termination or expiration
         thereof, Executive agrees that he will not use for himself or others or
         divulge or convey to others any secrets or confidential information,
         knowledge or data of the Company obtained by the Executive during his
         employment with the Company. The term "secret or confidential
         information, knowledge or data" shall not be deemed to include
         information that is published, information that is generally known
         throughout the industry or which generally is available to the industry
         without restriction through no fault of the Executive.

            (b) Injunctive Relief. The Executive agrees that the Company's
         remedies  at law for any  breach  or  threat  of  breach  by him of the
         provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section 8 will be  inadequate,  and
         that the Company shall be entitled to an injunction or  injunctions  to
         prevent  breaches of the  provision of paragraph  (a) of this Section 8
         and to  enforce  specifically  the terms  and  provisions  thereof,  in
         addition to any other remedy to which the Company may be entitled to by
         law or equity.

            (c)  Return  of  Document and Other Property. Upon the termination
         of the Executive's employment with the Company, or any time upon the
         request of the Company,  the  Executive  shall  deliver to the
         Company  (i)  all  documents  and   materials   containing   secret  or
         confidential  information,  knowledge or data relating to the Company's
         business  and  affairs,  and (ii) all  documents,  materials  and other

<PAGE>

         property  belonging  to the  Company,  which in either  case are in the
         possession or under the control of the Executive.

         9.  Certain  Defined  Terms.  For the purposes of this  Agreement,  the
following definitions shall apply:

            (a) "Affiliate" shall mean with respect to any Person, (i) any
         Person which directly, or indirectly through one or more
         intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
         control with, such Person or (ii) any Person who is a director or
         executive officer (A) of such Person, (B) of an Subsidiary of such
         Person or (C) of any Person described in the foregoing clause(i). For
         purposes of this definition, "control" of a Person shall mean the
         power, direct or indirect, (1) to vote or direct the voting of more
         than 20% of the outstanding voting securities of such Person, or (2) to
         direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such
         Person, whether by contract or otherwise.

            (b) "Cause" shall mean any of the following:

                (i)    The Executive's conviction (including a plea
                       of nolo contendere) of any crime involving
                       moral turpitude, the theft or willful
                       destruction of money or other property of
                       the Company or any customer or his
                       conviction of any felony crime.gs;

                (ii)   The  Executive's   continuous  inability  to
                       perform his responsibilities due to his
                       habitual abuse of alcohol or prescribed
                       drugs or any use of illegal drugs;

                (iii)  The   Executive's    commission   of   theft,
                       embezzlement or fraud against the Company;

                (iv)   The Executive's  willful damage of the Company's
                       property, business reputation, or good will;

                (v)    The  Executive's  deliberate  neglect of duty, or
                       material breach of this Agreement;

                (vi)   The Executive's refusal to perform any reasonable order
                       of the Company; or

                (vii)  The Executive's misrepresentation or concealment  of
                       a material fact for the purpose of securing or
                       maintaining this Agreement.

The term "Cause" shall not mean any act or omission believed by the Executive to
have been in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, any act or
omission lacking the intent of the Executive to gain a profit to which he is not
legally entitled, or any other matter not specifically described in clauses (i)
through (vii) above.
<PAGE>

            (c) "Compensation" shall mean, with respect to any Person, all
         payments and accruals, if any, commonly considered to be compensation,
         including, without limitation, all wages, salary, deferred payment
         arrangements, bonus payments and accruals, profit sharing arrangement,
         payments in respect of equity options or phantom equity options or
         similar arrangements, equity appreciation rights or similar rights,
         incentive payments, pension or employment benefit contributions or
         similar payments, made to or accrue for the account of such Person
         otherwise for the direct or indirect benefit of such Person, plus auto
         benefits provided to such Person, if any.

            (d) "Disability" shall mean the inability by reason of illness
         or  other  incapacity,  of  the  Executive  to  perform  the  essential
         functions of his then regular employment with the Company.

            (e) "Good Reason" shall mean:

                (i)    any material breach or default by the Company of any
                       material obligation of this Agreement;

                (ii)   any material  change by the Chief Executive Officer or
                       Board of Directors of the Company in the duties to be
                       performed or titles to be held by the Executive pursuant
                       hereto without his prior written consent, which consent
                       may be reasonably withheld;

                (iii)  any material  reduction  in the  Executive's salary,
                       benefits, bonuses or other Compensation pursuant to this
                       Agreement, unless  similar  reductions are also made to
                       the salary, benefits, bonuses or other compensation,  as
                       applicable, payable to other executive  officers of the
                       Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof and such
                       reductions are made for justifiable business reasons; or

                (iv)   within one year after a Change in Control or a Change in
                       Ownership any of the following occur: (A)  Executive's
                       Base Salary is reduced, (B) any bonus plan in which
                       Executive participates is discontinued or not continued
                       in substantially the same form,(C)Executive is assigned
                       to duties inconsistent with his duties or
                       responsibilities prior to a Change in Control  or  Change
                       in  Ownership, or (D)Executive  experiences the
                       discontinuance or reduction  of any material  fringe
                       benefits which  were in effect  before  the Change in
                       Control or Change in Ownership.

            (f)    "Person"   shall mean  an individual or corporation,
         association, partnership, joint venture, organization, business,
         individual, trust, or any other entity or organization, including
         a government or any subdivision or agency thereof.
<PAGE>

            (g)  "Subsidiary"  shall mean as to any Person a  corporation,
         partnership or other entity of which 25% of outstanding shares of
         voting stock or other equity ownership are at the time owned, directly
         or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such
         Person and shall include any such entity which becomes a Subsidiary of
         such Person after the date hereof. Consolidated Subsidiary shall mean
         any Subsidiary of which 51% or more of the outstanding shares or voting
         stock or other equity ownership are at the time owned, directly or
         indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person
         and shall include any such entity which becomes a Subsidiary of such
         Person after the date hereof.

         10.  Payment.  Except as  specifically  provided  herein,  all  amounts
payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid without reduction regardless of
any amounts of salary, compensation or other amounts paid or payable to the
Executive form any source and regardless of any amounts of salary, compensation
or other amounts which would have been payable to Executive had Executive sought
other employment; provided that the Company shall be permitted to make all
payments pursuant to this Agreement net of any legally required tax
withholdings. The Executive shall not be required to seek other employment, and
there shall be no offset to amounts due hereunder as a result of any salary,
compensation or other amount the Executive may be paid from other sources. The
Company shall not be entitled to offset any claim it may have against the
Executive pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement or otherwise against its
obligations to the Executive hereunder.

         11.  Expenses.  In the  event of any  litigation  between  the  parties
relating to this Agreement and their rights hereunder, the prevailing party, if
any, shall be entitled to recover all litigation costs and reasonable attorney's
fees and expenses from the non-prevailing party.

         12. Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement and the Stock Option  Agreement
comprises the entire agreement between the parties hereto and as of the date of
this Agreement, supersedes, cancels and annuls any and all prior agreements
between the parties hereto with respect to the Executive's employment by the
Company.

         13.  Severability.  If all or any part of this Agreement is declared by
any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness
or invalidity shall not serve to invalidate any portion of this Agreement not
declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any portion so declared to be invalid shall,
if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of
such portion to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful.

         14.  Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs,
successors, assigns and personal representatives. The Executive may not assign,
pledge, or encumber his interest in this Agreement, or any part thereof, without
the written consent of the Company; provided, however, that Executive may,
without the Company's prior consent, assign his rights to payment hereunder.

         15. Notice. Any notice required or permitted pursuant to the provisions
of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been properly given if in writing and

<PAGE>

when received by certified and registered United States mail, postage prepaid,
by overnight courier, telecopy or when personally delivered, addressed as
follows:


If to the Company:

                           LaserSight Technologies, Inc.
                           12249 Science Drive
                           Orlando, Florida  32826
                           Fax No.: (407) 382-2701

with a copy to:            LaserSight Incorporated
                           12249 Science Drive
                           Orlando, Florida  32826
                           Fax No.: (407) 382-2701

If to the Executive:

                           J. Richard Crowley
                           8516 Summerville Place
                           Orlando, Florida  32819

Each party shall be  entitled to specify a different  address for the receipt of
subsequent notices by giving written notice thereof to the other party; in
accordance with this Section. Telecopy notices must be followed up with the
original by certified mail, postmarked within one (1) business date of the
telecopy.

         16.  Amendments  and Waivers.  Any  provision of this  Agreement may be
amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the
Executive. No failure or delay on the part of either party to this Agreement in
the exercise of any provision or right, and no course of dealing between the
parties hereto, shall operate as a waiver of such power or right.

The  signatories  affirm that they have the authority to execute this  Agreement
and do so willingly.


LASERSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

/s/Michael R. Farris
---------------------------------
Executed November 9, 1999

By: Chief Executive Officer
   ------------------------------

/s/J. Richard Crowley
---------------------------------
J. Richard Crowley